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Hydrologic engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a hydrologic engineer. Hydrologic engineers usually study civil engineering, geology, or agricultural engineering. 76% of hydrologic engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 21 real hydrologic engineer resumes to see exactly what hydrologic engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for hydrologic engineers are the Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma State University.
There are also many online hydrologic engineer courses to help get the education required to be a hydrologic engineer.
What education do you need to become a hydrologic engineer?
What degree do you need to be a hydrologic engineer?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 14%
- Diploma, 5%
- Associate, 5%
What should I major in to become a hydrologic engineer?
- Civil Engineering, 41%
- Geology, 14%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for hydrologic engineers
| Hydrologic engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma State University | 16.67% |
| University of Washington | 8.33% |
| Wellesley College | 8.33% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 8.33% |
| University of New Mexico | 8.33% |
Best majors for hydrologic engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Engineering | 40.9% |
| 2 | Geology | 13.6% |
| 3 | Agricultural Engineering | 4.5% |
| 4 | Science, Technology, And Society | 4.5% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering | 4.5% |
Best colleges for hydrologic engineers
The best colleges for hydrologic engineers are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A hydrologic engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hydrologic engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become hydrologic engineers.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
20 best online courses for hydrologic engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for hydrologic engineers
The most affordable schools for hydrologic engineers are University of Florida, new mexico institute of mining and technology, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.
If the best universities for hydrologic engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for hydrologic engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hydrologic engineers
The hardest universities for hydrologic engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for hydrologic engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for hydrologic engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hydrologic engineers
The easiest schools for hydrologic engineers to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, oregon institute of technology, and the university of texas at el paso.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hydrologic engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for hydrologic engineers.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
4. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
5. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
6. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
7. Lamar University
Beaumont, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,043
8. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
9. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
10. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
Average hydrologic engineer salary by education level
| Hydrologic engineer education level | Hydrologic engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $92,075 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $90,226 |
Hydrologic engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025